By Rorisang Modiba
- Temperatures will stay cold until Thursday, with more snow forecast for the Eastern Cape, Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal.
- Experts warn that road closures and power cuts are likely as snow and ice continue in high-lying areas.
The first big winter cold front has passed, but the icy weather is far from over. More freezing conditions and heavy snow are on the way.
The South African Weather Service confirmed that heavy snow fell over the weekend in the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape. Icy weather shut down some mountain roads and disrupted travel in rural areas.
Forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela told eNCA that the country should brace for more cold weather, with very low temperatures expected to continue until Thursday. He said things may slowly warm up after that, but only slightly.
In the Eastern Cape and parts of KwaZulu-Natal, more snow and rain are expected this week. The risk of road closures, power cuts and accidents remains high. Authorities have warned travellers to avoid high-altitude areas where conditions are most dangerous.
Vox Weather forecaster Annette Botha said parts of the Free State and North West have already experienced ice rain, and even more intense snowfall is predicted for the mountains near Barkly East, the southern Drakensberg and Lesotho. Some mountain areas could see more than half a metre of snow.
Gauteng is expected to stay dry for now, but weather experts say there is a chance of ice rain in Johannesburg and surrounding areas. In Pretoria, snow is unlikely, but some overnight thunderstorms are forecast.
Weather expert Liesl Dyson said freezing night temperatures could drop below zero in higher parts of Gauteng, with a small chance of light snow over the Witwatersrand.
Meteorologists say this is likely the start of a long and difficult winter. More cold fronts are expected in the coming weeks, with conditions expected to remain severe across much of the country.
Pictured above: Cold front.
Image source: File
